The smartphone, in its very essence, is a communication device, but taking pictures has already become the No.1 feature that people look for in a phone. InfoTrends reports that, in 2016, 81.3% of the 1.1 trillion phones taken globally were on mobile devices. In the age of content overload, images are one of the most effective mediums for communicating information. Every day, hundreds of millions of photographs are taken with mobile phones, and uploaded and posted onto social networks. They are also a vital tool to capture moments that will soon become fond memories. Best of all, mobile phones are very portable, always connected, and photo sharing is instant.

Phone cameras have certainly come a long way since the first phone cameras of 2002, which had a resolution of a mere 0.3 MP. Back then, phone cameras could only elicit grainy and blurred images, which were more of a novelty than pictures worthy of being pasted into photo albums or saved as important memories. Fifteen years later, these cameras have certainly come a long way, and are now ready for their next iteration: smartphone cameras with built-in artificial intelligence. Here are three ways these types of devices can help you hone your photographic skills:

1.A more intuitive camera - On-device artificial intelligence means that your phone camera is much, much smarter. The first – and only – mobile device to have artificial intelligence built into the phone is the new HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro. It comes with a Leica Dual Lens camera, with 12 MP colour + 20 MP monochrome dual sensors. The camera is able to identify, in real-time, precisely what it is shooting. Recognising different types of scenes and objects – such as moving objects, food, landscapes, etc. – makes it easier for the device to set the best parameters when taking pictures. Once a background is identified, the camera automatically adjusts the colour, contrast, brightness, and exposure to produce the best possible photo for that specific subject. Also, because this smartphone has an aperture of f/1.6 for both lenses – the largest that is currently available – even the most dimly lit photographs can appear sharp, and night photography is a dream.

2.Photo-enhancing apps that won’t freeze on you – We all have our favourite photo-enhancing apps. Whether you’re into intense sepia effects, or really love making collages, or just can’t get enough of animated bunny ears, these apps can provide hours of fun. However, the frustration and aggravation that often comes with these apps, such as a frozen screen, are definitely not as appealing. Because the HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro has on-device artificial intelligence though, all of the images you’re altering stay on your phone. There’s no need to connect to a network, so your processing power won’t slow down just as you try to remove that unattractive blemish on your cheek. Social media uploads are also a breeze, so your loyal Instagram followers won’t be left hanging.

3.Extended battery life – Finally, if you’re looking to be a real expert photographer, then you’ve got to have staying power. And so should your phone’s battery. If you want to take lots of photos of your family and friends at an event, for example, you’ve got to be sure that your device’s battery life can last as long as your party animal cousins from Oz. The HUAWEI SuperCharge and 4,000 mAh battery with AI-powered battery management understands user behaviour and intelligently allocates resources to maximise battery life. This means that your phone’s battery won’t be drained by apps you’re not currently using and you can focus on snapping away and capturing great memories.

It seems clear, then, that a smartphone camera with built-in artificial intelligence, like the new HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro, gives you a far superior photographic experience, with more accurate colours, more refined interaction between light and shadow, and more life-like pictures. This means that one day, when you look at these photos, you can be transported back to the very moment when you pressed the shutter button, and reconnect with all those rich emotions that you felt at the time.